Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 12, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 12, 1973
[00.07.27] Senator MONTOYA. Did you ask Mr. Magruder or Mr. LaRue for a Government job during your discussions with him about your grand jury testimony? Mr. PORTER. To answer that question specifically, I would have to answer no, but there is some yes in it and if I could perhaps explain that. In January of this year, when we were getting through with the President's inauguration, obviously the thoughts turned to future employment and I got Mr.-- Mr. Magruder told me that I believe it was Mr. Malek at the White House Could be, could possibly be an obstruction to my getting a good job with the Government, and I asked Mr. Magruder what he thought I should do about it,. He said "Well, I think Mr. Mitchell could probably help you a little bit, 'You know, he's still got some clout there." So I said, "What is the, best way to do that? Should I call him directly or what?" He said, "No, why don't you talk to Fred LaRue?" So I believe I went over and talked to Mr. LaRue, and the conversation went something like my saying "Fred, you know this problem that, I have with Mr. Malek." I said "'I have been a pretty loyal guy." And he said, I know that." And I said, "Now, I do not want to be treated any better than anybody else but I sure as heck don't want to be treated any worse than anybody else, I either. Do you think Mr. Mitchell could. perhaps make a Call and unloose the log jam a little bit"' He said, "Yes, I will call him." And I understand that he did. That was the extent of that conversation. Senator MONTOYA. Why were you concerned about Mr. Malek obstructing any move that you might, make? Mr. PORTER. Mr. Malek was in charge of handing out Government jobs, Senator, and that didn't sound too good when he heard that he perhaps could be an obstruction to my getting one and I wanted to see what I can do. Senator MONTOYA. What reason did you have to believe that? Mr. PORTER. I believe, strictly personal, Senator. I was between Mr. Malek and me. Senator MONTOYA. Was it, your understanding around the CRP on important decisions, that Mr. Haldeman should be informed? Mr. PORTER. Yes, sir. Senator MONTOYA, And what sphere of decisions would you say covered any communications between the CRP and Mr. Haldeman at the White House? Mr. PORTER. Senator, I can only--I would have to Confine My answer to my area of involvement in the surrogate scheduling program, but everything that I did, all reports, all plans, all schedules, all States, key States, times et cetera were all sent to Mr. Haldeman. Senator MONTOYA. Did that include disbursements? Mr. PORTER. Sir, I am not aware of that. I was never asked to give Mr. Haldeman or anybody like that, any--- Senator MONTOYA. Well, would you say definitely that it did not include disbursement? Mr. PORTER. I would say that to my knowledge, it did not include any disbursements that I made but that is as far as I could go. Senator MONTOYA. You mentioned that for every disbursement that you made you had received a receipt? Mr. PORTER. Yes, sir. Senator MONTOYA. From the recipient? Mr. PORTER, Yes, sir, Senator MONTOYA. How long did you keep those receipts? Mr. PORTER. The initial receipts from the pre-April 7 money I kept until the end of March, I believe when Mr. Sloan asked me to balance with him. I did. The figure was approximately $52,000. I had balanced, I had no reason to keep the receipts any longer-excuse me, and so I throw them away. I had additional receipts that were in my possession until after the Watergate break-in and I would say approximately a week or 10 days after the break-in I believe it Was Mr. LaRue who came by my office and said, "You know, if You have anything that might be politically sensitive or whatever," again using the immediate discovery story of the Democrats civil suit, you know, "Why don't you just throw it away." So I went through a few things and I didn't think I had anything politically sensitive but in that same process I did ask Mr. Reisner to come in again and we did balance, and Mr. Reisner was made aware of the money and the cash on hand and the amount of money received from Mr. Sloan, et cetera, and those receipts, they were thrown away. [00.12.39]